686 
him, had very much reduced, and would probably further reduce, 
the amount of work which he performed for the health department. 
The appointment of a chemist for the health department was recom- 
mended- a On the 12th of October, of the same year, the first serious 
effort to regulate the food supply of the District of Columbia that 
had ever been made consummated in the enactment by Congress 
of an act entitled, “An act to prevent the manufacture or sale of 
adulterated food or drugs in the District of Columbia.” * & 
The food and drugs act of October 12. 1888. was broad in its 
character, seeking to prevent within the District of Columbia the 
adulteration of foods and drugs generally. The term “ food,” as 
used in the act, was defined, however, to include every article used 
for food or drink by man. other than drugs or water, and therefore 
included milk. The general direction and control of the enforce- 
ment of the act were entrusted to the Commissioner of Internal Beve- 
nue : it was specified that the analysis provided for in the act should 
be under the control of the Commissioner of Internal Bevenue, under 
such rules and regulations as might be prescribed by the Secretary 
of the Treasury, and the Commissioner of Internal Bevenue was 
vested with authority even to declare certain articles or preparations 
to be exempt from the provisions of the act. By virtue of authority 
conferred by this act. the Secretary of the Treasury, under date of 
Xovember 20, 1888, promulgated certain regulations concerning 
analysis of foods and drugs in the District of Columbia. He under- 
took to fix standards for certain specified foods, among them milk, 
and specified certain substances as “ known to be injurious to health 
when present in foods.” Others he described as “ known to produce 
more or less toxic effects, and whose use in food is therefore harm- 
ful.” Other substances were designated as “ harmless coloring 
matters.” The standard fixed for milk was as follows: 
Milk: Whole (pure) milk, the minimum specific gravity, "actual density.” 
shall be 1.030 at 60° F., and the milk shall contain not less than 13 parts 
in 100 of solids, as follows: Fat, 3.5; solids, not fat, 9.5: water, not more than 
87. The removal of cream, the addition of water, foreign fats, or coloring 
matter will be considered adulterations. 
A form was provided upon which any person entitled under the 
law to have a sample of any food or drug analyzed might make 
application to the Commissioner of Internal Bevenue for that pur : 
pose. It was required that applications be made in triplicate, one 
to be returned to the applicant with the report of the analyst, 
another to be filed with the United States district attorney, and 
the third to be retained by the Commissioner of Internal Bevenue. 0 
a Report of the Health Officer, 1887-88, pp. 24, 25. 
6 25 Stat. L., 549. 
0 Instructions to Internal Revenue Officers, Series 7, No. 15, Xov. 20, 188S. 
